The Days Are Numbered
by TheWanderingMiko
Summary: Hiei is attacked and is implanted with something; something dangerous. He runs to Kurama for help. I wrote this with my sister.


Hiei walked through the hall, leaving patrol for the night. It was nearly midnight, too late to visit Makura and too early to call it a night just yet. Sighing he walked down the hall, ignoring both the silence and the footsteps he heard tapping in rhythm with his behind him. When he stopped, the footsteps stopped. Anyone else, perhaps even Yusuke, would think it was an echo; but Hiei knew better. He'd been working on the patrol since it had began four years ago. He had the echoes and the slightest sound changes in the hall memorized. He knew much better.

"You might as well stop, I know you're there, Ikamaru." He spoke calmly, cool as he ever had been. A cracked laugh made his head turn to look at the demon in silence. His long, green hair was tied in a ponytail and braided down his back as he stared at Hiei with a gnarled smile. It was the same smile he gave Hiei every night. Every time he sniped after his life. Of course, tonight his hands were clenched in his pocket. One, no doubt, was curled around something.

"Hiei, good evening..." Hiei's glare didn't lessen. In fact, it severed as Ikamaru spoke. Ignoring him, Hiei turned again and started walking, once more, down the long corridor. "What's this? Hiei's being cold to me?" Ikamaru spoke again, his voice high and whining.

"I'm always cold to you, idiot, why should tonight be any different?" Hiei replied quietly. Ikamaru chuckled.

"Because tonight I've found a way to finally kill you." That was what Ikamaru always said. He'd been trying to kill Hiei since the patrol had started. Hiei couldn't figure why, unless he'd thieved something off the poor bastard in the past. Though that hardly did him any good now. It had happened too many years ago for him to remember if he had. Hiei raised an eyebrow and cocked his harsh smile.

"Oh, really?" he asked blandly. Ikamaru's coy grin just widened.

"Yes, really." And he was charging at him. Fast enough for it to be teleportation, just like most demons could. Hiei hardly dodged, all he had to do was step to the side. Ikamaru's fist came fast, the aura around it scraping his stomach, ripping his shirt, though the flesh never came in contact. Hiei gave a short back flip and laughed like he always did.

"Are you done? hardly even a scratch..."

"A scratch is all I needed." Ikamaru retorted. That stopped Hiei short as he remembered who had said those words last. Kurama, or Shuichi Minamino as he was now. Kurama had said the same thing right before every slaughter he brought forth with his infectious weeds. Ikamaru's grin widened as Hiei's look became more and more constricted. "Are you figuring it out, Hiei? Your sharp mind is decoding my actions as we speak?" Hiei's mouth opened angrily.

"A plant you stole from Kurama?"

"One of his deadliest. It wasn't difficult either. Anyone could go in and take it. And, just as him, I'm skilled with plants, Hiei. You know that." True. Ikamaru was skilled with roses and vines. Anything he wanted to grow, he could make it grow, though Kurama could do it faster. And probably more gracefully, too. But Ikamaru was a weakling, had been all the time Hiei had known him. "The species is known as "Shi kodomo", or "death children". They kill their prey from the inside out. They ARE children in a way, they grow inside their victims, like a child, into pre-adulthood, that stage resembles a normal human infant. Then they are "born". In their pre-adult state, they can live on their own after consuming the corpse of their "Mother" They learn to hunt and live just like any other demon, though they tend to root themselves and trap their victims like a "Hae-wana" or a "Fly-trap". Feeding off of them until they sprout and choose victims for their own seedlings. Quite remarkable, they were wiped out almost 400 years ago; you have Koenma to thank for that, but Kurama collected a few choice specimen before they were killed off. You have his strongest specimen inside you right now, rooting itself quickly." Hiei's eyes widened. and Ikamaru disappeared, fading back into the darkness that he'd appeared from.

Hiei's heart almost stopped. He was going to die? No, Kurama could get this thing out. He could help! Turning abruptly he began running again, running as fast as he could toward the barrier. He'd gotten through it once, he'd get through it again. It didn't matter WHAT Koenma had done to the damn thing, he was getting out through it. True, he was going taking himself back off Koenma's good graces, but had he really wanted to be on them anyway? He hated the brat, if only for the fact that the toddler thought he could tell him what to do. But he wasn't going to this time. No, he was getting out. He had too see Kurama. His life depended on it.

*~*

Kazuma (if I have it wrong I'll fix it later...it's Kuwabara's first name, I hope .;;) poured more sake into his glass after tearing it off of Kurama's dining room table as soon as he and Yusuke walked through the door. Yusuke laughed and tried to shove the bottle down his friends throat. Shizuka actually had to stop him, Botan, Kayko, and Yukina laughing, as it actually almost went down. Nobody wanted the idiot dead, not right now anyhow...It was Kurama's house warming party. Really, it was just a good reason to force everyone in a room and get them drunk. Yusuke was good at that. Kurama, though, had just moved into the apartment and was watching, laughing weakly, at the commotion. He'd never been one to drink, not even on new years, but he didn't mind if the others did. He and Kayko and Yukina drank their tea and watched the others as always. The phone rang, demanding attention, and Kurama rose to answer it. It was in the other room, so he heard even the breathing on the other end.

"Kurama." It sounded like Hiei. Was it Hiei?

"Hiei?" A grunt in return and Kurama knew he'd guessed right. He could hear his breathing again and now it sounded thick, like he'd been running from something.

"Where are you? You moved..." It sounded light, but something struck sour with Hiei's voice in Kurama's ears.

"Yeah, I live off of Koushinki now, Where are you?" silence then Hiei's voice became raspier.

"Bus stop."

"What corner? Why are you there?"

"Shuyou and main...I couldn't find you're house..."

"But you're not one for house calls..." Kurama said plainly.

"Yeah, well..." Silence came abruptly and he heard nothing but breathing. No other voices that said some passer-by had pulled Hiei aside, asking how long he'd be on the phone. Just the sound of Hiei's breath leaving his lungs and oxygen entering right after.

"Hiei? Hiei!" Kurama barked into the phone. What was Hiei doing? He was never like this. Never gentle when he spoke, never silent without finishing a sentence. Never, never. Kurama set the phone down and grabbed his coat off of a hook, walking back into the dining room. "I'll be back in a minute." He said gently. Kayko blinked.

"Are we out of sake again? B-but I brought an extra case, I thought that'd be enough." Yukina giggled at her.

"They like to drink, I guess..."

"No, it's Hiei." Everything stopped. Everyone froze. Laughter was abandoned for solemn silence. Kayko stood up nervously.

"What happened? It was him on the phone?!" Kurama gave a nod.

"I'm just going to pick him up, I'll be back in a few minutes, that's all." Kayko seemed to settle and sat back down again, though her eyes looked worried. Even Botan, a second ago so carefree, looked nervously at him. It was hardly unexpected. It was Hiei he was talking about. Hiei, end of all mortals, I'll kick your ass, Hiei. Turning around, he walked out the door and down the stairs. He was down two blocks in no time and found Hiei sitting outside a bus stop enclosure. He seemed to be asleep against it as the fox walked up.

"What took you so long?" Hiei said calmly. Kurama watched him in silence then sat down as well.

"Long walk." he lied. Hiei laughed and looked up at him.

"Moron..." he said before falling unconscious against his shoulder. Kurama caught him and stared. What could have Hiei so upset, he'd try to break through the barrier. Koenma had re-enforced it lately. It was almost impossible for Yusuke to get through every now and again. And it took Yusuke at least an hour. It looked like Hiei had forced himself through in minutes, draining himself too much to go far from it afterward. In fact, Hiei was only a quarter of a mile from it as it was. Sighing he picked him up, hiking the shorty onto his back, and headed home, where the others had no doubt ceased their festivities.

Sure enough, when he stepped through the door, nothing was any different from when he'd left, save for Botan who'd opened the door for him. The half empty sake bottle was still on the table untouched for the last half hour, Kayko was watching him with a terrified look on her face and the others sitting there in silence. Kurama took no time in explaining, truth be told he had no clue what was going on; so hiking Hiei just a little higher, he hurried into the bedroom and laid him down gently on the futon that lay in the corner. Hiei moaned slightly, rolling a little before easing back into unconsciousness, Kurama petted his hair gently, "something's wrong...", he said softly, "Hiei doesn't like the human world and he wouldn't just come here to visit me without an alternate motive..." Kayko stepped in from the doorway, "can you tell what's wrong...?", Kurama smiled softly, "I'm no doctor...we'll have to wait until he wakes up..."

"But how do you know he'll even wake up?!", Botan shrieked from behind Kayko, petting Hiei's hair lightly, Kurama stood up and moved walked back into the living room, "I don't..."

"He should, though, his aura's not that weak. I'd give it an hour, maybe...he'll come to." Kurama finished gently.

The hour came and went. Then two and three and after the fourth hour, the fire demon opened his eyes and sat up. Kurama was against the next wall, watching him silently. He jumped when Hiei barked angrily.

"Get...it...out!" Kurama stared for a second, cocking his head a little. He seemed confused. Hiei continued angrily. "I'm supposedly infected by a plant you had in your collection...so get it out!" Kurama stood and walked across the room, sitting on the edge of the cot.

"Do you know what it is? I had a few things stolen recently-"

"It's a Shi Kodomo..." Hiei cut him off and Kurama's eyes widened.

"When were you infected?!" he spoke so suddenly and loudly that Hiei almost fell off of the bed.

"About midnight..." Kurama's eyes remained widened and he paled. "What?!" Hiei barked again, sounding angry. Kurama blinked.

"I can't...it'll be too rooted in. Once a plant like that's rooted, you can't tear it up. Hiei, it's almost five in the morning..." Hiei's head snapped to the side and looked at the digital clock across the room It was true. 5:02 it blinked at him accusingly. Hiei leaned back against the wall, staring down at his crossed arms in anger. Kurama touched the fire-demon's shoulder and stood, leaving the room. He leaned on the wall, just next to Yusuke. "Shi Kodomo...it's a parasitic plant..."

"What's that?" Kazuma asked. Kurama shook his head, letting his bangs fall over his eyes.

"It's a life-form that has to co-exist with a host, Or mother. The species isn't called death children for nothing. The seedling is planted in a living host, usually female, and it grows like a child would during pregnancy-" Yusuke and Kazuma burst out laughing now.

"Hi-hiei's going to be a mommy?" Yusuke exploded. Kazuma wasn't far behind.

"That shrimp isn't getting outta this one, I'll remind him about it for years!" Kurama stopped them short.

"Hiei doesn't have years, he has weeks. Depending on how fast the plant grows. As it grows it attacks the heart and lungs, drawing nutrition from them until they aren't stable, then it moves through the other vital organs. When it's "birth" occurs, because it can't be born like any other offspring, it rips up through the stomach and chest cavity. And ultimately kills it's "mother"...They were wiped out 400 years ago because they became too much of a threat to the rest of the demon population that extinction was the only answer. Youko Kurama captured a few specimens before they were entirely killed off, they make terrible weapons if used. It's like giving someone the electric chair."

"A one-way ticket to hell..." Yusuke finished. Kurama nodded. The door opened and Hiei glared out at them.

"I can hear you. If you all want to stand around and predict my death, do it OUT of my hearing range." he growled before leaning on the doorframe and crossing his arms tightly.

A soft buzzing was heard through the room for a couple moments, then Hiei finally sighed exaggeratedly and picked something of a communicator out of his pocket and answered it.

"We got something here, Hiei....", Toya informed when the fire demon had answered the phone (yes, I put them on patrol! Since it really doesn't tell you what becomes of him and the others I figured that it would be okay...If I get it wrong don't get too mad at me, I only know what I've read in the manga...) Hiei rolled his eye's, "what is it...?", the sound of Jin yelling something like, 'he's still moving' came over the communicator thing and Toya gave a sigh, "looks like that guy, Ikamaru...dead at the borderline...there's a residue of bluish powder on his clothes, skin and hair, along with a rather large gash across his back just under his ribcage..." Nodding unconsciously into the receiver, Hiei turned to Kurama as he hung up, "you have anything stolen that's symptoms resemble anything like that...?", Kurama nodded, looking out the window seriously, "that sounds like Kromi Deu...it's sort of like a flesh eating mushroom. It, like the Shi Kodomo, also has a infantile incubation period, however Kromi Deu is a little more vicious, after it abandons it's host, it leaves seedlings, like maggots, to feast on the remains and spread throughout the area.... Kromi Deu spreads quickly, it could infect a population of 7 million in mere weeks..." (hey you get the fun of making some killer plant then so do I...)

Hiei gave a laugh.

"Damn bastard got what he deserved." he said coolly, turning his back to his three colleagues. "I'm going back to bed." he sounded angry so none of them pushed the matter. Kurama watched Hiei in a sad sort of way. They'd worked together longer than they had with Yusuke and his friends. They knew each other better, and Kurama could tell Hiei was scared. He was too damn prideful to let anything on, but he was terrified. Kurama doubted he'd even thought about the toll the barrier would take on him before forcing through it at his fastest pace. Hiei normally wouldn't do that. Hiei would have thought it through. But he hadn't and it was his fear that drove him so. Kurama sighed. What would he do? He couldn't let Hiei go back to patrol like he always did. He didn't want him even leaving his sight now! But, giving Hiei his props, he was strong enough to be left alone until he died. But Kurama couldn't do that. He wanted to be with him and watch him live his final days. Whether the stubborn little stump wanted him to or not!

"I'm staying with you, Kurama..." Hiei spoke gently like he'd read his thoughts and was relaying the answer he wanted into words. "I'm not going back to the underworld. I'm staying with you." Kurama nodded and the door shut in front of him.

Staring at the door in silence, he fell against it, pushing his nose against the cool wood, this was bad, this was worse than bad, the

underworld and the human world were both in danger, and Hiei was in the middle of it all. Kurama didn't think that he could handle this, he couldn't handle the thought of losing his short tempered partner just yet. Hiei was strong, so he probably wouldn't die immediately...but just the thought of Hiei dieing even eventually gave Kurama Goosebumps. He fell asleep there, against that door, only to be woken at about sunrise by the door being opened against him, banging painfully against his nose, and he looked up to see Hiei peering out from behind the door, "where the hell's your bathroom...?"

Kurama gave a small laugh and laid back against the wall again. After explaining that it was the door to the fire-demon's right he sighed. He and Hiei were the only ones there. Yusuke and the others had left at about 7 in the morning, leaving them to sort this out. Kurama had just dozed off again before the door to the bathroom opened again and Hiei scooted down the wall and sat beside him. He pulled his knees up and laid his head on his arms, crossing them over his knees. Kurama sat up.

"Did you wash your hands?!" He sounded nervous. Hiei looked up at him, giving him a glare, and laid his cheek where his forehead had been. Kurama sighed again and laid his head on his partner's shoulder. Hiei didn't shove him off, he didn't move at all. His head remained on his knees and his eyes remained on Kurama. After a few minutes he spoke gently.

"Can we leave?" he didn't sound like Hiei. Kurama blinked.

"What?"

"Can we leave?" he repeated. Kurama sat up sharply.

"'Leave'?!" Hiei closed his eyes.

"I-Just for the afternoon...I-just-" Kurama smiled.

"Already turning into a wimp?" he teased. "Sure, we can go out to lunch, I guess...I have to check you first?" Hiei blinked.

"'Check' me?" Kurama smiled as Hiei blushed and glared at him accusingly. Kurama grinned.

"Just seeing how fast it's growing...How big it's gotten..." He said pulling Hiei's hair gently.

Hiei turned away, still pink, and Kurama giggled, tugging the fire demon a little closer, letting him lose his balance and fall against his collar bone, "I'll treat you to something special...", he said softly, pressing his nose into his long time partner's black hair and closing his eye's. Soon he was asleep again and Hiei was left awake to stare at the shadows that were dancing on the walls, mocking him in his predicament. He wondered slightly about how this was going to effect his and Kurama's complex relationship, he hoped it wouldn't be change, he rather enjoyed their dependence on one another.

Not only did he enjoy it, he depended on it. He felt a cooling, bubbly sensation as whatever was growing in him moved. straightening out his legs on the floor, he lifted his shirt slightly. His lower stomach had bulged over night. Not by much but it looked like he'd gained weight. Who was he kidding?

"It looks like I've swallowed a bus!" Hiei barked. "Ikamaru had damned well be running in the after life, 'cause when I get there, He's going through death all over again!!!" Kurama shifted on his shoulder and opened his eyes.

"Awfully energetic, aren't you?" Hiei gave him a glare and Kurama stood. "C'mon, let me see and we'll go out today. I'll even get you some clothes"

"Clothes?"

"You're own clothing won't fit for too much longer, and my cloths are too tall and slim for you." Hiei glowered and followed his friend into his room. Kurama closed the door as he spoke. "Take off your shirt and lay down flat. Either the bed or the floor, I don't care which."

Without protest, Hiei pulled off his shirt, tossing it on the bed and inwardly enjoying Kurama's stares and slight gasp of surprise and turning, he saw that the fox demon's cheeks had turned a slight pink.

"Are you going to get on with it?", he barked, snapping Kurama out of his staring contest with Hiei's back.

Kurama gave a laugh and waited for Hiei to lay down. The man did and Kurama sat next to him slowly. His hands touched to Hiei's abdomen and gentle fingers pressed lightly. Here, there, even up and down before he was done. After about ten minutes the fox pulled away and stood.

"You can put your shirt on again...It looks like you've got maybe 2 weeks." Hiei blinked as he sat up, reaching for his shirt. Kurama sounded sad? Like the time he'd first met him, when his mother was ill. After a few minutes of silence Kurama grinned at him. "It really looks like you've swallowed a bus, Hei-chan..." He giggled. Hiei growled and raised his fist as he began to button his shirt up.

Hiei grumbled, "I shouldn't let you say that Kurama...", the fox demon giggled, "but you will...", he said sweetly, petting the top of Hiei's head. The fire demon didn't say anything, instead he pushed his face into Kurama's chest, his voice was soft and muffled, "I want you to fix this...this thing inside me...I'm not ready to leave you alone yet..." Kurama gave a slightly surprised look then sunk down and kissed the top of Hiei's head, "I can't Hei-chan...I'm sorry...", Hiei looked up a desperate expression on his face, sad yearning in his eye's, "I see..."

Hiei went rigid for a second then relaxed, touching his hands to his chest. Kurama blinked and looked at him but wasn't given an answer. Instead, Hiei turned and headed out to the street, Kurama watching him for a few minutes before following in silence. Hiei seemed depressed, but was too gruff to talk to him or act like it. Kurama could read between the lines with the slouched walk and the growl in his voice as he barked at him for being too far behind him.

The days passed and soon a week was up, then 2 and nothing happened. Hiei's stomach was swollen to the point of explosion, still nothing. He'd started acting 'Maternal' as Kurama liked to call it. He was less annoyed and he spoke kindly to him. He grew excited when he felt something that told him the thing that grew in him, parasite or not, was alive. It kicked him, it rolled, it stretched. And all of it made Hiei forget he was going to die and get happy. Genuinely happy. At the moment, Hiei was sitting , reading a book Kurama had leant him. Kurama himself was out, down the hall at Yusuke's apartment.

Sighing lightly he pushed the book away, it was doing nothing for his boredom anyway, rolling onto his side, he buried his nose into Kurama's pillow, relishing the gentle scent of the fox demon's hair that was on it. A strange feeling had begun to grow inside of him, he felt it late at night when his parasitic 'baby' was asleep and Kurama was curled up, asleep, against the wall, giving Hiei the most amount of room on the relatively small mattress. It made him feel warm and sad all at the same time, like he didn't want to die just yet, not before something important happened...

Hearing the door open he closed his eye's and pretended to sleep as he heard Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara come in, talking about him.

"How is he?", Yusuke asked lightly.

"He's alright...he's starting to act like a real mother to be...", Kurama replied.

"Never expected it from 'im, I mean the little squirt's usually so...vicious...", Hiei snorted slightly as he heard Kuwabara's statement, he was not! He just didn't enjoy the company of those other than Kurama.

"How long you think he has left...?"

"I don't know...his due date's passed already", there was that sad tone again, Hiei'd been hearing a lot of it lately, every time something pertained to him, Kurama used that voice...not to mention he acted like a father to be, the way he fawned over him was flattering but slightly scary at times.

Hiei heard the door the bedroom open then close as he noted that Kurama was checking on him. Kurama's voice interrupted his thoughts again and Hiei opened his eyes, got off of the bed, and curled in a ball against the bedroom door to hear better.

"He's in pain now and again, His heart is giving way and his lungs too. He's stopped after only a few minutes of walking to catch his breath or saying that his chest hurt." Kurama was heard to sigh and Kazuma spoke now.

"He's gonna live, right? He's lasted this far...he'll live, won't he?" Silence met the idiot's question and Hiei knew Kurama had shaken his head.

"It's not the nature of the plant. It will kill him, either in birth or after when it consumes his body..." Hiei scooted away from the door, not wanting to hear anymore, and climbed back onto the bed. Picking up the book, he stared at it for a moment then threw it across the room. As it hit the opposing wall, a litter of pages dropped out, scattering across the floor, proving that he'd ruined Kurama's book. He hardly cared. Kurama wouldn't even have faith in him. Hiei was getting angry for some reason and he was up again. Throwing on a trench coat he got ready to go, and by the time he was ready to go, he was ready to lay down and go to sleep. So he fell backwards onto the mattress and curled up a little.

He wanted to tell Kurama that he would be alright, he wanted to soothe him and let him see how strong he really was...but he wasn't strong against this, he was still going to die and there was nothing either he, Kurama or anybody else could do about it. It was pure fact, he was GOING to die, there was no if...

Nuzzling against the wall, he cuddled with Kurama's pillow, he wanted to do something, something that would tell Kurama what he'd meant to the fire demon all of these years, but what could he do...? Anything would be inappropriate or unwontedly sexual...closing his eye's he thought about it slowly, hearing the door open, "get out", he said softly, "I don't want any of you near me, if none of you can believe that I'll make it through, then I don't want any of you close to me, telling me what I already know...I'm going to die!" Soft foot steps trailed across the floor towards him before a gentle hand petted his cheek, "I'm sorry that you heard that Hei-chan...", then he felt Kurama kiss his cheek gently before whispering, "I don't want to say good bye yet...just like you I want to believe that you'll be okay and that I can have you after this is all over..." The bed dipped after Kurama had pulled away and Hiei knew he'd laid down beside him, he listened to the fox demon's breathing and sighed, "I...I'm sorry..."

(Time for cheesy dramatics!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE)

Pain gripped Hiei's side and he jolted suddenly, Kurama gasped and grabbed hold of him tightly. Hiei sat up slowly and scooted off of the bed. He leaned on the wall, holding and staring at his abdomen. Kurama was up now, his hand on the fire-demons shoulder.

"Hei-chan, what's wrong?" Hiei blinked and looked up at Kurama quietly.

"I dunno." He shrugged but crumpled as pain seared through both sides now. Giving out a painful cry he dropped to his knees, one hand holding his side, the other on the floor. Kurama dropped too, holding Hiei's shoulders now as his breathing thickened. He was paling and Kurama crashed to his feet, running out of the room as fast as he could.

"YUSUKE!!!" He screamed. Kazuma, Kayko and Yusuke peaked out into the hallway Kurama's voice was heard. He grabbed hold of Yusuke's arm and started dragging him down the hall, Kayko and Kazuma in tow. Sweat was running down Hiei's face when Kurama got back. He'd just barely opened the door when Hiei's eyes widened and he fell back onto the floor. He was screaming in pain. Worse than any of them had heard. And when it stopped abruptly, Kurama started toward him. Hiei's back arched and his eyes rolled backwards as his blood spattered the walls and his friends. Kurama was the most soaked. Vines tore up though Hiei's stomach, shredding his shirt in seconds. Kayko began to scream and cry as the small being heaved itself up, bloodily, out of Hiei's chest cavity. Kurama was wide eyed. Hiei's eyes opened and, fast as lightning, he stabbed the infantile weed through the chest. Kurama covered his mouth. Kayko had buried her face into Yusuke's shoulder and Kazuma couldn't stop staring. Yusuke blinked.

"He killed it?" his words broke the consuming silence and Kurama was on his feet. Running. Running as far and as fast as he could manage.

He ended up on the roof, and was sobbing when the door opened and Hiei staggered out to him, "hey hey, why all the tears? I'll be okay...", falling to his knees he panted slightly as he lay down on his back, "Yusuke and the dumbbell have called an ambulance...stupid humans..." Without warning, Kurama reached out and smacked the fire demon across the face, "how dare you scare me like that you royal prick! Do you know how worried I was?! I-I...thought I was going to lose you...", he choked falling onto his side and crying as Hiei watched him. The fire demon simply smiled and rolled right up beside him, pushing his mouth over Kurama's gently, "you can't lose me, stupid...", to his surprise, the fox demon pulled him in and kissed him ferociously, "remind me of that later...", he whispered biting the fire demon's lip before pulling back and sitting up, dragging Hiei into his lap once he had.

Hiei gave a choking noise and jerked again, hugging himself. Kurama stared at him as his eyes closed.

"I'm cold..." he mumbled as he shivered. Kurama laid his head on Hiei's and closed his eyes.

"It'll be alright..." Hiei choked and his breathing became heavy then thin. "You won't die...You won't die!" Kurama barked, trying to convince Hiei and himself that his words were true. A hand touched his shoulder and Kurama turned to look Botan in the face. Her eyes were to the brim with tears.

"I-I've gotta take him, Kurama..." She said softly. Before either of them spoke again, a small ball of light shot out of Hiei's chest and streaked off. "Wha-?! HEY!!!" Botan shrieked and reached after it. "Oh, great...I'll never be able to find him!" She whined and chased after him, half glad for the delay in taking him on the styx. Kurama cradled Hiei's corpse gently, watching him silently. Yusuke and the others met him on the roof as he picked up Hiei's body and started for the stairs. The girls were crying, Even Yukina, who never even found out that this was her twin brother he was holding dead. Kurama could remember the end of the tournament. When he'd told Hiei to tell her when he was ready. He'd never be ready now, would he?

TO BE CONTINUED...


End file.
